Committee
(Premier) Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
People's Congress
elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
peoples' committees; head of government elected by the General
People's Congress; election last held NA (next to be held NA)
election results: Muhammad Ahmad al-MANQUSH elected head of
government; percent of General People's Congress vote--NA

Legislative branch: unicameral General People's Congress (NA
seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of peoples'
committees)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist
movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning
clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Libya does not have an
embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all
embassy activities in Tripoli on 2 May 1980

Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of
Islam (the state religion)

Economy

Economy--overview: The socialist-oriented economy depends
primarily upon revenues from the oil sector, which contributes
practically all export earnings and about one-third of GDP. These
oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest
per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to
the lower orders of society. Low oil prices in 1998 cut back revenue
sharply, and GDP growth fell by 1%. In this statist society, import
restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have led to
periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs. The nonoil
manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for about 20%
of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products
to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and
aluminum. Agriculture accounts for only 5% of GDP; it employs 18% of
the labor force. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit
farm output, and Liby